Run Eclipse in WSL2

config.xlaunch

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<XLaunch WindowMode="MultiWindow" ClientMode="NoClient" LocalClient="False" Display="0" LocalProgram="xcalc" RemoteProgram="xterm" RemotePassword="" PrivateKey="" RemoteHost="" RemoteUser="" XDMCPHost="" XDMCPBroadcast="False" XDMCPIndirect="False" Clipboard="True" ClipboardPrimary="True" ExtraParams="" Wgl="True" DisableAC="True" XDMCPTerminate="False"/>

EclipseOnWSL2Ubuntu.md

This gist provides a summary on how to accomplish the following tasks:

• Access WSL2 using putty
• Run Eclipse on WSL2 Ubuntu, displaying the Eclipse UI on VcXsrv running on Windows
  • Connecting to VcXsrv directly from WSL2
  • Using SSH X11 forwarding, with network connection initiated from Windows to WSL2 Ubuntu, which is particularly useful on company laptops that refuse all incoming network connections on Windows.

0. Prerequisites:

   • WSL2 up and running
   • Putty, Plink & PuttyGen installed on Windows

1. WSL2 Ubuntu: Install & configure OpenSSH

   • sudo apt install openssh-server

   • Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config:

       X11Forwarding yes
       X11DisplayOffset 10
       X11UseLocalhost no
     

   • sudo ssh-keygen -A

   • sudo service ssh start

2. Auto-start SSH daemon:

   • WSL2 Ubuntu: mkdir -p ~/bin ; echo "sudo service ssh start" >> ~/bin/startup.sh
   • Windows: Create scheduled task that runs on user logon, running C:\Windows\System32\bash.exe with arguments /home/<user>/bin/startup.sh

3. Windows: Configure SSH public key authentication using PuttyGen:

   • See https://www.puttygen.com/#How_to_use_PuTTYgen for general instructions
   • Run PuttyGen
   • Generate new key pair, or convert existing key pair
   • Save private key to ppk file; this will used later when connecting to WSL2 Ubuntu using Putty or PLink
   • Add the SSH public key to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on WSL2 Ubuntu

4. Windows: Create putty profile to connect to WSL2 Ubuntu:

   • Session
     • Host Name: localhost
     • Port: 22 (or whatever OpenSSH port you configured on WSL2 Ubuntu)
   • Connection -> Data:
     • Auto-login username: <your user name>
   • Connection -> SSH -> Auth:
     • Private key file for authentication: <key file generated by PuttyGen in step #2>
   • Connection -> SSH -> X11:
     • Enable X11 forwarding (if you want to start X11 programs)
     • X display location: 127.0.0.1:0.0 (this should match whatever DISPLAY value is shown in VcXsrv logs)

5. Windows: Install & configure VcXsrv:

   • Download & install https://sourceforge.net/projects/vcxsrv/
   • Copy config.xlaunch as shown below to the Startup folder (Win+R: shell:startup)
   • Launch config.xlaunch to start the X Server manually for now

6. WSL2 Ubuntu: Install Eclipse & prerequisites:

   • sudo apt-get install openjdk-11-jdk
   • sudo apt-get install libgtk-3-0
   • Download and unpack Eclipse for Linux to ~/eclipse

7. Windows: Eclipse shortcut using SSH X11 tunnel:

   • Manually try starting Eclipse from Windows by running the following command:
     plink.exe -batch -X -i <path to .ppk from step #2> <Ubuntu username>@localhost ~/eclipse/eclipse
   • Copy silent.vbs and plink-silent.cmd (see attached files) to the directory where PLink.exe is installed
   • Create a new shortcut that runs the following command:
     C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "C:\<path to plink>\plink-silent.cmd -batch -X -i <path to .ppk from step #2> <Ubuntu username>@localhost ~/eclipse/eclipse"
   • Double-click the shortcut; if all is well you should see the Eclipse UI after a couple of seconds

8. Windows: Eclipse shortcut using direct XServer connection:

   • Add the following lines to ~/.profile on WSL2 Ubuntu (create file if it doesn't yet exist):

     export DISPLAY=$(awk '/nameserver / {print $2; exit}' /etc/resolv.conf 2>/dev/null):0
     export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1
     

     Note that having these lines in .bashrc won't work as .bashrc is only loaded for interactive shells
   • Create a new shortcut that runs the following command:
     C:\Windows\System32\wsl.exe -u <WSL2 user> -- bash -lc 'nohup ~/eclipse/eclipse' ^& sleep 1

plink-silent.cmd

cd "%~dp0"
wscript silent.vbs "plink.exe -batch %*"

silent.vbs

CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "" & WScript.Arguments(0) & "", 0, False

@asmolcic 's suggestion did the trick for me.

sudo snap install --classic eclipse &&
sudo apt-get update &&
sudo apt-get install libswt-gtk-4-java &&
eclipse